"Not Wanted" is clearly an exploitation film intended to scare the crap out of young ladies. It's not as over the top of sleazy as most of the exploitation movies--more well intentioned yet dumb. Now as far as the dumb goes, it's hard to properly ascribe blame, as the production had two directors--Elmer Clifton and Ida Lupino. Lupino took over the film after Clifton had a heart attack and you wonder what his original vision had been as well as hers. Why? Because I want to know who to blame--especially for Sally Forest's bizarre overacting.
The film begins with an obviously mentally disturbed lady, Sally (Sally Forest), impulsively stealing a baby! At the police station, after she's been caught, you see a long extended flashback to show how she's gotten to this state. Sally wanted a musician and foolishly ignored every possible warning side. Ultimately, she gets pregnant and goes to a home for unwed mothers so that she can have the baby...and she ultimately gives it up for adoption. But there is MUCH more in between...including some really fine scenes as well as Sally inexplicably fainting repeatedly (this is NOT what happens when you are an unwed mother), some overacting as well as a sloppily inserted bit of stock footage of a Caesarian. Overall, one of the most uneven films I've ever seen---some is very well done, the rest is pretty crappy. Who's to blame, I have no idea but sadly instead of being a good film about teen pregnancy, it's one where you are shocked at how brain dead the main character behaves.
